There are numerous online dating websites available and it isn’t all that surprising. Online dating is a convenient way to meet new people that you otherwise would have never met if you stuck to traditional means of meeting folk. More and more people are choosing to sign up to dating sites because the higher chances of finding the love they’ve been searching for — many couples who met online actually get married, which is something that some people anticipate when joining.

If you’re interested in becoming boss of your own Business and create an online dating service so you can cash in on this booming industry, there are some things that you will probably want to do before you go live.

1. Make yourself stand out from the other dating services.

Online dating has a lot of different niches that people can join. If there is someone who has a particular turn on or preference, there is going to be a website for it. You want to choose a niche that you feel it is easiest to cater to. For example, maybe you want to help people who are in the later stages of life find someone they can share their remaining years with. Or you could help people find others who want to take things slow and start off as being friends and then see where things go from there.

2. Create a memorable name for your site.

When you are trying to come up with a name for your service, you want to ensure that it reflects the services that you are bringing to them. You don’t want to be abstract, but you also don’t want to be too vague or unique that people don’t know what you are providing. Let’s say you want to cater to casual daters. You could call your site - “Casual Connections”. It’s to the point, simple to remember, and people know what services you are providing.

3. Double check that you have all the required licenses and permits to do business in your state.

Check in with the small business development center in your city to see what you need to have in order to conduct business within your state. In most cases, if you are operating in the US, you will need an assumed name certificate, an employer ID number, as well as a state tax ID number.

4. Purchase a platform that will run your service.

There are many options to choose from when you are trying to decide which platform to run your business from. Many of which are relatively expensive—some are as low as $40 per month. Also, there are platforms available that do not have an upfront cost. Instead, they only as a percentage of your membership profits. These software providers often will supply you with design templates, site hosting, as well as the ability to create membership plans and user accounts, which are important for online dating sites to work.

5. Buying a domain name if it isn’t provided in your platform package.

Some platform packages do not include the use of a Domain name. All you have to do is search for “purchase domain name” and you’ll find numerous sites that will sell you a domain name for a small monthly fee.

6. Create incentives that will draw people into your site and join.

Since there are so many sites available that people could join, it’s safe to say that you are going to have some stiff competition for new members. With that said, you can have special promotions that will encourage and entice people to want to join your site. Some of these promotions could be a free trial membership, useful newsletters and blogs full of dating advice and tips, or even special features like webcam chats or chat rooms.

7. Market your new dating service.

People will join your dating service if they know it. It’s along the lines of “If you build it, they will come” type deal. You can use social media to get the word out about your new service, but also place ads on popular websites and blogs that are dedicated to your demographic. Be creative with your advertising and your work will pay off!

Creating a new business can be scary, especially in a market where there is so much competition. However, if you think you have a great idea, and you feel like you have something incredible to offer to people, then why not give it a shot? If you do decide that creating an online dating service is your way to go, look at some popular sites and see what works for them and see how you can tweak things to suit your business better. With a bit of research, patience, hard work and perseverance, your startup can do well!